News

On Wednesday 13th July, the Society held its third talk of the year at the Museum of Cannock Chase. The subject on this occasion was ‘The Life of Thomas Telford’, given by Richard Bifield. It was a very informative and entertaining talk – as they always are – and well received by the members and non-members alike.The Pontcysyllte Aquaduct on the Llangollen Canal, Denbighshire, Wales. Photographed by Adrian Pingstone on June 30th 2008

Unfortunately, the Chairman, Alan Dean, had been admitted to hospital on Tuesday so could not be there. We send Alan and Margaret our best wishes for a speedy recovery.

The final talk of the year will be on Wednesday, 19th October, 2011, at 3.00pm at the Museum of Cannock Chase – all welcome, on the subject of the ‘Restoration of the Hatherton Canal’ by Bob Williams.

Hatherton Canal – Waterscape.com

Dobermanns

Occasionally Dobermanns are mentioned in my blog – and seen in photographs – so I thought that I would give the Birmingham & District Dobermann Club a mention, (I am an Honorary Life Member and a former Chairman) as they have recently changed venue. The Club can now be found at Walsall Wood Methodist Church, Lichfield Road, Walsall Wood, WS9 9NP from 8.00pm till 10.00pm each Tuesday. Perhaps oakparkrunner will be tempted to rush out a buy a Dobe – the venue is on his doorstep! But there again, praps not!!

The Spot Bridge, Brownhills.

“You cannot be serious”

Yes I can, and it is Wimbledon fortnight!!

Photo – BCN Photo Gallery

While visiting the Brownhills Canal Festival, I crossed the bridge and thought – “it doesn’t sing to you like the old one used to”. To try to explain, when you climbed the steps of the old metal bridge, you heard a definite ‘Dong-Dong-Dong’ and when you crossed the bridge itself, it changed to’ Bong – Bong – Bong’ not quite a modern ‘Boing’ definitely ‘Bong’. Then, of course it was back to the Dongs as you climbed back down. The new bridge, a very nice one of the modern style, unfortunately has no voice at all – it’s just there to be walked over – sad, really. Since I left Brownhills in 1960, I can only remember crossing the old bridge once, about seven or eight years ago, but the sound was unmistakeable – and unforgettable. I hope I’m not the only one to remember it! One thing about the bridge that I don’t remember, and that is calling it the ‘Spot Bridge’, it’s somewhere in the back of my brain (with everything else these days!) but I don’t ever remember using the name.One thing I will say in favour of the new bridge – it’s not just good for disabled people to use, also dogs that are getting past their sell by date. My Dobe, Ellie, comes into that category nowadays, she looks in fine fettle but struggles to run with any speed at all. She is very arthriticky (good word, eh!) in her back end due in no small part to not being able to be exercised for nearly 12 months after an accident chasing a squirrel in which she snapped all the tendons in her right front leg, which now has a plate and a number of bolts holding it together – it’s probably the best leg she’s got these days! All of this means that she has great difficulty in climbing steps, so without the new bridge and its ramps, we would have been stuck on the Brownhills side of the canal!

Out with ‘Hopalong Ellie’ (still nowhere near 100% yet, but enjoying her walks) this morning by Gaskin’s Wood when I heard a fluttering behind me and there was what I took to be a fledgling Blue Tit. It was fluttering about quite happily but couldn’t manage more than half-a-dozen flaps and about three feet in height! It just makes you think what would happen to it if some idiot came along and started a fire, which they are doing quite a lot of at the moment in the area.

Another bit of life on the Hills for a couple of days – someone had put a couple of carp in one of the pools. I’m not sure of the names but I think the heron calls them ‘breakfast’!! Fortunately some teenagers with a pond at home went to get a bucket to save the fish and the heron went hungry!

At the moment I’m waiting for a phone call from the vet so that we can fetch the dog. She was due for a – hopefully – last x-ray on her leg this morning. The original idea was for him to do it while we waited but thay have all sorts of problems over there. All their computers are out of action so we had to leave Ellie and have to make the trip again!! It was -8 degrees at home when we left, -12.5 at the vets! But it is at least nice and sunny.

The idea was to have an x-ray while we were there, but the vet’s had a few problems so we had to leave her with them.

Stop Press:

Just had a phone call, everything OK, got a discharge appointment this afternoon. Great news!

I’ve been asked a few times recently about Ellie’s progress, as I haven’t put any updates here recently. My apologies to anyone who’s interested but I’ll catch up a bit now.

As you can see from the photo, she can get out a bit now – this is her first week. The vet didn’t want her to put too much weight on the leg for a couple of months, and now that she is out, it’s only on the lead for short spells. The first 3 days she was allowed 2 x 5 minute walks, the next 3 days it was 2 x 10 minute walks and now we are up to 15 minutes. She was limping a bit more this morning after her walk so I only took her once – I don’t want to set her back through pushing her too hard.

She does still limp quite a lot as she has to learn to walk on her right leg with a plate fitted inside – it can’t be easy! On the bright side, she is getting back to her old ways now – much noisier!!

Recently, I have been putting posts on about the museum collection and today I have added rail maps to the ‘Colliery Loco’ pages, now I shall have to try and catch up with any other news.

Just got back from the vet’s – none too good today. She has developed pressure sores under her bandages and is now on more tablets and the leg has to be left uncovered. To make matters worse, to stop her licking the affected area, she now is wearing an Elizabethan collar (and is none too pleased!)We are back to the vet’s on Monday, hopefully she will have started to put a little weight on her injured leg.

Update – Saturday morning.

Leg very swollen, back to the vet’s. Fortunately he had started antibiotics yesterday and by the time we arrived there, the leg had started to ease a little. Back again Monday afternoon!

I’ve been asked by one or two people how Ellie’s getting on as I have posted nothing recently. I have updated on flickr but I do apologise for not keeping my blog readers up to date.She was back at the vet’s last Friday and had her stitches removed. She’s getting along ok but the back pad of her foot seems a little sore. She hasn’t got to go back to the vet’s until next Friday – we just have to put up with a Dobe with a thick pink leg!!

She’s quite happy now going outside – we take her into the garden on her lead then take it off if there are none of her furry friends about. She has even started to get back into her old ways of barking just for the sake of it! It was a nuisance before but sounds good now!

I think she is getting fed up with being in her bed so much but tolerates it pretty well – but she definitely misses playing with her ball.

Visit to the Vet’s – 26-10-2009

Back to the vet’s today. She put up her usual performance in the waiting room – whine, whine and more whine, but when she was being bandaged, as good as gold!
The leg looks pretty good after just a few days, and the scar looks very neat, well stitched.
The top bandage is black with a bit of blue top and bottom. We did ask for tan but they hadn’t got any.

She seems more comfortable with this dressing, but it is difficult for her to lift it high enough when she gets on her bed – she has to raise her shoulder and lean to one side to get high enough. It doesn’t bend at all.

Back for another dressing on Thursday.

Thursday 29th – on to the Green Period.Complete with hand-crafted wellie!

Sadly, we have found out today that she has torn the tendons in her pastern and needs an operation.(20-10-09)

Operation Friday 23rd – Operation successful! Picking her up later.

Sleep it off, Ells.

She staggered in, made it to her bed and that was that – flop!
We’ve seen the x-rays – 8 bolts 1 long screw 1 plate and a couple of bits of wire. She’ll never fall apart now! Back to the vet’s on Monday for new dressing and she’s got to keep a dressing on for about 8 weeks. No exercise. At the moment, no problem, but when she starts to feel better, oh boy!
Thanks again everyone for your support.

Update 2

Today, Ellie has worked out which way is up and is much more like her old self. Last night was difficult in so far as she had to take a pain-killer with food but didn’t want to eat. A tin of sardines and some cheese may not sound too good, but it did the trick.